EP1K10QC208-3 - 10K Gate ACEX-1K FPGA, 208-PQFP | Intel / Altera
MPN: EP1K10QC208-3 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $38.5 | $38.50 |
| 10 | $34.2 | $342.00 |
| 100 | $28.9 | $2,890.00 |
| 500 | $24.6 | $12,300.00 |
| 1,000 | $21.4 | $21,400.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EP1K10QC208-3 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP1K10QC208-3N
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View Datasheet →EP1K10QC208-2N
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View Datasheet →EP1K10QC208-2
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View Datasheet →EP1K100QC208-3N
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View Datasheet →EP1K100QC208-3
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$60.04 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K100QC208-2N
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View Datasheet →EP1K10QC208-3 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | ACEX-1K |
| Typical Gate Count | 10,000 gates |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 576 |
| Embedded System Blocks (EABs) | 3 (each 4 Kbit, dual-port capable) |
| Total RAM Bits | 12,288 bits |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 72 |
| Maximum User I/O Pins | 120 |
| Supply Voltage - Core | 2.5 V |
| Supply Voltage - I/O | 3.3 V (multi-standard I/O) |
| Speed Grade | -3 |
| Package | 208-pin PQFP (BFQFP) |
| Process Technology | 0.22 µm SRAM CMOS |
| Operating Temperature | Commercial (0C to +70C) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| MSL Level | 3 (per JEDEC J-STD-020) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP1K10QC208-3 208-pin pqfp (bfqfp) Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EP1K10QC208-3 (208-pin pqfp (bfqfp) package) with 120 pins. This digital IC includes GPIO, communication interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C), and power pins. Refer to the manufacturer datasheet for alternate pin functions and configuration options. Essential for embedded system design and PCB layout.
No detailed pinout data available for EP1K10QC208-3.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Estimated pin count: 120 pins (digital package)
Safe Operating Area (SOA) & Thermal Characteristics
No official SOA curve available for this digital IC. Always operate within absolute maximum ratings specified in the datasheet. Ensure adequate cooling and derate as needed.
Typical Applications
EP1K10QC208-3 is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial Glue Logic Replacement, Legacy Telecom Backplane Bridging, Test and Measurement Front-End Logic, Custom Peripheral Expansion for Embedded MCUs, Aerospace Avionics Bus Replication, Medical Imaging Pipeline Front-End, Education and FPGA Training Platforms.
Industrial Glue Logic Replacement
The EP1K10QC208-3 fits industrial glue logic replacement because its 576 LEs and 120 user I/Os match the typical size of legacy discrete 74HC/74F logic boards being modernized. Engineers retrofit the FPGA onto existing PQFP-208 footprints without redesigning the PCB, replacing dozens of SSI/MSI logic chips with a single reconfigurable device. The 2.5V core and 3.3V multi-standard I/O allow direct interfacing with TTL-era control signals. A typical application routes sensor conditioning outputs, stepper motor pulse trains, and encoder quadrature into the device and emits coordinated timing and direction signals to downstream drivers, achieving a 10:1 PCB area reduction and field-upgradable logic.
Recommended
Legacy Telecom Backplane Bridging
The EP1K10QC208-3 is well suited to legacy telecom backplane bridging where older E1/T1 line interface cards need a modern protocol glue layer without board redesign. The 120 user I/Os map cleanly to typical 16-32 channel PCM/HDB3 framers, while the 12,288 bits of dual-port EAB RAM implement small elastic buffers and lookup tables. The PQFP-208 footprint preserves the original backplane keep-out zones. Combined with the -3 speed grade supporting up to 200 MHz, the device easily meets E1 (2.048 MHz) and T1 (1.544 MHz) timing margins with substantial headroom, making it ideal for sustaining equipment that is no longer factory-supported.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Front-End Logic
The EP1K10QC208-3 serves as front-end pattern generation and capture logic in test and measurement instruments where reconfigurable stimulus sequences are needed across product families. The 576 LEs accommodate a 16-bit pattern generator with one-hot decoders, while the 12 Kbit EAB RAM stores up to 1024 pattern vectors accessible in a single clock cycle. The 120 user I/Os fan out to multi-channel analog switches and comparators. The PQFP-208 package is preferred in T&M chassis that already have through-hole-compatible test sockets. Engineers can reconfigure the FPGA in seconds via JTAG to support a new DUT protocol, dramatically reducing test development cycle time.
Recommended
Custom Peripheral Expansion for Embedded MCUs
The EP1K10QC208-3 functions as a custom peripheral expansion layer between a microcontroller and high-pin-count external devices, offloading timing-sensitive or parallel I/O tasks from the MCU firmware. With 120 user I/Os and a 200 MHz internal clock, the device can implement multi-channel PWM, quadrature decoders, custom display drivers, or parallel data acquisition without taxing the host MCU. The PQFP-208 package is large enough for hand-soldered prototypes. The dual-port EAB RAM enables shared-memory communication with the host MCU, allowing zero-overhead data exchange. This pattern is common in industrial control retrofits where the existing MCU is fixed but additional I/O or timing logic must be added.
Recommended
Aerospace Avionics Bus Replication
The EP1K10QC208-3 is used to replicate MIL-STD-1553, ARINC 429, and other avionics bus traffic in legacy aircraft retrofit programs where the original bus controller ICs are obsolete. Its 120 user I/Os accommodate multiple bus channels simultaneously, while the 12 Kbit EAB RAM buffers message frames. The -3 speed grade provides timing margin for the 1 Mbps ARINC 429 data rate with substantial setup/hold slack. The PQFP-208 package tolerates the conformal coating and vibration profiles typical of avionics LRUs. This is a sustaining engineering application, not a new design, but the EP1K10QC208-3 is well matched to the bitstream-portability and PQFP footprint of the original ACEX-1K-based avionics designs.
Recommended
Medical Imaging Pipeline Front-End
The EP1K10QC208-3 acts as a low-cost pre-processing stage in legacy ultrasound or endoscopy imaging pipelines where pixel-level corrections (gain, offset, gamma) and simple spatial filters are required before the data is DMA-streamed to a host DSP. The 576 LEs handle 8-bit pixel pipelines at video rates, and the 12 Kbit EAB RAM provides line buffers for 1D spatial filters. The PQFP-208 footprint fits the original through-hole prototype boards of older imaging carts. The 2.5V core keeps power dissipation modest, important in cart-mounted medical equipment. This application preserves clinical workflow continuity by re-using proven sensor analog front-ends while modernizing only the digital correction path.
Recommended
Education and FPGA Training Platforms
The EP1K10QC208-3 is widely used in university and vocational FPGA training labs because it is a real, in-production PQFP-package device that students can probe and solder by hand, unlike modern BGAs. The 576 LEs fit classic course lab exercises: counters, UARTs, simple CPUs, VGA controllers, and PWM generators. The 'QC' PQFP-208 footprint is large enough for oscilloscope probes. The -3 speed grade lets students meet timing budgets without aggressive optimization. Quartus II Web Edition (legacy) supports the ACEX-1K family free of charge, making the EP1K10QC208-3 an ideal teaching platform for digital logic courses, despite its NRND status.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1K10QC208-3 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1K10QC208-3N | EP1K10QC208-2N | EP1K10QC208-2 | EP1K100QC208-3N | EP1K100QC208-3 | EP1K100QC208-2N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel |
| Package | PQFP-208 | PQFP-208 - same | PQFP-208 - same | PQFP-208 - same | PQFP-208 - same | PQFP-208 - same | PQFP-208 - same |
| Logic Elements | 576 LEs | 576 LEs (same die) | 576 LEs | 576 LEs | 4,992 LEs (10x) | 4,992 LEs (10x) | 4,992 LEs (10x) |
| Typical Gates | 10,000 gates | 10,000 gates | 10,000 gates | 10,000 gates | 100,000 gates | 100,000 gates | 100,000 gates |
| Speed Grade | -3 | -3 (same) | -2 (slower) | -2 (slower) | -3 (same) | -3 (same) | -2 (slower) |
| Total RAM Bits | 12,288 bits | 12,288 bits | 12,288 bits | 12,288 bits | 49,152 bits (4x) | 49,152 bits (4x) | 49,152 bits (4x) |
| Maximum User I/O | 120 | 120 | 120 | 120 | 147 | 147 | 147 |
| Pb-free / RoHS | No (Pb plating) | Yes (N = Pb-free) | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Drop-in Bitstream Compatible | Yes (reference) | Yes (identical die) | No (different speed grade timing) | No (different speed grade timing) | No (different device ID, requires recompile) | No (different device ID) | No (different device ID and speed) |
Key Differentiators
- Pb plating variant - leaded version of an otherwise RoHS-compliant design (vs EP1K10QC208-3N)
- Smallest ACEX-1K PQFP-208 footprint offering (vs EP1K100QC208-3N)
- PQFP-208 through-hole-compatible footprint (vs Modern Cyclone IV TQFP-144)
Design Notes
The EP1K10QC208-3 requires two supplies: a 2.5V core (VCCINT) and a 3.3V I/O (VCCIO). Per the ACEX-1K datasheet, VCCINT must reach 2.5V before or simultaneously with VCCIO during power-up to prevent I/O latch-up. Add a 100 µF bulk capacitor plus 0.1 µF + 10 µF ceramic decoupling on each supply pin pair; place the ceramics within 5 mm of the device. Programming pin (nCONFIG, nSTATUS, CONF_DONE) must be pulled high with a 10 kΩ resistor.
PQFP-208 has a 0.5mm pitch and gull-wing leads; allow at least 1.0mm pad-to-pad clearance for reliable hand-soldering and rework. Use 4-layer PCB with continuous ground plane under the device to minimize EMI from the 200 MHz internal clock. All unused I/O pins must be set to logic-low output (not input) in the Quartus pin assignment to prevent oscillation. JTAG chain: connect TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO to a 4-pin header with 10 kΩ pull-ups on TCK and TMS.
Do not assume the EP1K10QC208-3 is bitstream-compatible with the EP1K100QC208-3N even though both share the PQFP-208 package: the device ID differs and Quartus must re-target the project. The 'N' suffix denotes Pb-free plating only, not functional changes. The device is NRND - do not design new products around it; choose Cyclone IV or MAX 10 instead. Configuration EPROM must be EPC2LC20 or compatible; older EPC1 devices do not support the 2.5V ACEX-1K core.
Estimated: At typical toggle rate of 30% and 25°C ambient, the EP1K10QC208-3 dissipates approximately 0.4 W. With PQFP-208 theta_JA around 35°C/W, junction temperature rise is ~14°C above ambient. No heatsink required, but provide thermal vias to the inner ground plane beneath the exposed die pad region (note: PQFP-208 does not have a true e-pad; copper pour in the package keep-out zone is the primary heat dissipation path).
Compliance Information
EP1K10QC208-3 (without N suffix) uses Pb plating and is not RoHS-compliant. The Pb-free equivalent is EP1K10QC208-3N. AEC-Q100 not applicable - ACEX-1K is commercial-grade only; industrial/extended grades are not offered.
